Southerndown

Southerndown belongs to a category of British golf course that is rarer than either links or heathland: the clifftop downland layout, where the turf has the tight, windswept character of the coast but the terrain rolls and pitches with the contours of inland high ground. The result is a course of considerable variety and challenge, one that demands constant adjustment of both strategy and technique as the round progresses. No two holes present quite the same problem, and the wind, which can arrive from several directions across the open clifftop, adds a further layer of complexity that changes the course from visit to visit.

The panoramic views across the Bristol Channel are a constant presence throughout the round. On clear days, the Somerset coast is visible to the east and the Devon cliffs can be seen in the far distance to the southwest, while the Vale of Glamorgan farmland rolls inland behind the course. This quality of view, combined with the drama of playing on clifftops above the sea, gives Southerndown a sense of occasion that remains long after the scorecard is filed away. The course's hosting of the Dunlop Masters reflects the quality that architects and professionals have long recognised here.

The proximity of Royal Porthcawl and Pyle & Kenfig makes Southerndown part of one of the most rewarding golf clusters in Wales. The three courses are within a short drive of each other and offer entirely different experiences: Porthcawl's exposed links, Kenfig's enclosed dune corridors, and Southerndown's clifftop downland. Together they represent a case for the Vale of Glamorgan coast as one of the most underrated golf destinations in the British Isles.